The American Declaration of Independence

Text Preview

Continue reading...

On May 10 of 1775 the Second Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia, one month after American s begain fighting with the British. There, delegates from each of the 13 colonies would decide on independence. A Declaration of Independence was required to state why the 13 colonies were separating from the British Empire. With this, POW's could demand to be treated as prisoners instead of traitors and aid coul d be sought from Britain's enemies. The Declaration of Independence consisted of the preamble, the middle section and a section declaring independence. The most important part, the preamble, justifies the rights of the American citizens. It declar es that "men are created equal[and]...are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." That sentence still remains a truth with the Americans today. Jefferson wrote the preamble with the help of John Locke and Rousteu. Within the preamble Jefferson writes that the people, "to secure these rights...whenever any form of government becomes destructive...it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it." It gives the people of America the freedom to impeach untrustworthy rulers and dictators if they wish to. The freedom that Thomas Jefferson gave us is still in practice today. The middle section justified why the colonists were revolting against the Britis h Empire. Here Jefferson writes that the King of Great Britain "is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations." He reminds the reader that the King has refused to allow the Governors to pass important laws "necessary for the public good," obstru cted the administration and that the king is sending over large armies to "complete the works of death." The third section officially declares independence in writing. The entire effort to complete the Declaration of Independence was done by Thomas Jefferso n, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston. In order to pass the declaration all of the representatives had to vote yes for independence.

How to Cite this Page

The American Dream and the Declaration of Independence Essays
- "All Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among there are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness". It is in this sentence from the Declaration of Independence, that the idea of the American dream has its roots. The phrase, “the American dream” can mean many different things, but among the most basic interpretation is that America is a land of opportunity and freedom for all who come to it. The idea of the American dream has influenced people to come to America in search of economic opportunities, political choice, and religious freedom.... [tags: American government, USA, ]

Essay on The Declaration of Independence and the American Ethos
- Imagine traveling from the oppression that seeped from the government in Great Britain during the nineteenth century to a foreign land with the hope of living a better life. This life included “Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson, 247). This life would also provide a government that allows the citizens to dictate how they are governed and the people’s opinions are always appreciated. This new government would need to be implemented and a set of ethics would need to be created. This land I am talking about is now considered the United States of America and its foundation for its ethics is the Declaration of Independence.... [tags: American Ethos Essays]:: 2 Works Cited

American History: The Declaration of Independence Essay
- ... As stated in the novel the Africans were "shoved and lashed along to wherever they were to be chained..."(201). From these actions "he learned that when anyone didn't cry out from a blow, he would get a severe beating until he did" (204). Along with constant abuse, Haley also depicts the conditions of the boat, that held over 500 Africans in a small space, as "urine, vomit, and feces that reeked everywhere around him had spread into slick paste covering the hard planking of the long shelves" (207).... [tags: equality, freedom, democracy, fairness]

Essay Response To Jefferson's Declaration Of Independence
- The American Declaration of Independence has affected the foundation of the United States more than any other event or document in American history. The Declaration of Independence was the basis for what the country was established on. The document was a way for the colonists to emancipate themselves from the cruelty of King George. This document had such an impacting effect because it was such a new way of bringing up concerns. It was the first of its kind in the history of America in the aspect of liberation of a group of people.... [tags: Declaration Independence History American]

Does “The American Scholar” reflect The values of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution? 2
- Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote American Scholar during the period of transdentalism in 1840-1860 which emerged after romanticism. Transcendentalism dominated the thinking of the American Renaissance, the period before the Civil War where new literary and philosophical forms flourished, and its resonances vibrated through American life well into the 20th century. In one way or another our most creative minds were drawn into its thrall, attracted not only to its practicable messages of confident self-identity, spiritual progress and social justice, but also by its aesthetics, which celebrated, in landscape and mindscape, the immense grandeur of the American soul.As Oxford Advanced Learner’s Diction... [tags: national identity, nationalism]:: 2 Works Cited

Does ‘The American Scholar’ Reflect the Values of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution? 3
- John states that “The declaration of independence is the usual name of a statement adopted by the continental congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as 13 newly independent sovereign and no longer a part of the British Empire.” The Declaration of independence means liberation of the nation and its people from powerful nation and the colonizer. When a particular nation is independent, she starts setting supreme laws under which the government functions based on legislative, executive and judiciary.... [tags: national identity, nationalism]:: 1 Works Cited

Does ‘The American Scholar’ Reflect the Values of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution? 1
- Every country today differentiates each other through having a unique identity of which the elements are cultures, tradition and religion. Even a country like America was once under the rule of the British. However this did not last as long as it did in India as the people fought back and won what is today called “The War of Independence.” During the time the British ruled various countries they had taught the people under them their ways of conducting every activity in life. In America even after the British were gone the way people lived their lives were still the way they had learned from the British.... [tags: national identity, nationalism]:: 4 Works Cited

Declaration of Independence Impact in American Society Essay
- In 1776, five members assembled to draw up the Declaration of Independence, a document that clearly stated independence from Britain, and listed the colonists’ grievances and natural rights. One of the most controversial components was the following statement: “We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The concept of equality debated and understood in a variety of ways throughout American history.... [tags: equality, abraham lincoln, civil rights act]:: 17 Works Cited

Does ‘the American Scholar ‘reflect the values of the declaration of independence and the American constitution? 5
- American scholar was a speech given by Ralph Waldo Emerson to the scholars of phi Beta kappa society at Cambridge on August 31, 1837. Many years after the independence of American but still country was under the influence of Europe. It is the first time for Ralph Waldo Emerson building the new American cultural identity. According to Johnson, Belasco (2008), page (447) states that Jefferson’s draft of the declaration of independence was held on june 7, year 1776, Richard Henry Lee, was a represented from Virginia (a place name) to the 2nd congress.... [tags: national identity, nationalism]:: 1 Works Cited

Essay on American Revolution
- A revolution is defined as being a generally violent attempt by many people to end one rule of governing, and to create their own (Websters Dictionary). The founding of our own independent country is based on such a notion, with our forefathers fighting to gain their freedom from the oppressive rule of Colonial England. With rampant fears of tyranny from a country deemed a super power, the American people were divided in their views of creating their own government, making the definition of a revolution all the more difficult.... [tags: American history, Declaration of Independence]:: 12 Works Cited

Related Searches

In one of the earlier drafts a statement roughly 175 words gave black slaves independence . The south however did not agree and threatened not to pass the declaration. Knowing that nothing would get done if it was not passed, John Adams gave up the war to allow for that to clause remain in the declaration. The declaration was officiall in effect on July 4, 1776.